Amalgamator



plfil 14, 1942. R W, |Mpp 2,279,473

AMALGAMATOR Filed Feb. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 14, 1942 voi-*Fici-L AMALGAMATOR Richard' W. Iliinpp, King City, Mo. n Application February 3, 1941, lSerial No. 377,233

4 Claims.

My invention relates to amalgamators, concentrators and separators of a typevwherein pulverized ore or the .like containing precious metals is brought into contact with One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an amalgamator so constructed and arranged whereby material under treatment is Abrought into intimate contact with a mercurial body for eiecting exhaustive extraction of the precious metals from the material. y

Another object of` my invention is to provide an amalgamator or device of the above described character so constructed and arranged as to facilitate the. ready separation of the metals from adhering gangue and to provide for a thorough distribution of water throughout the vmass of ore being treated.

A further object of my invention is to vprovide a device of the above described character which functions to automatically concentrate Athe pre. cious metals and to discharge the gangue and water from the device.

An important object of my'invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, durable in use, eiiicient in operation and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will beapparent p from the following description, appended claims` and annexed drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my in vention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of F'igure l.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 and on a reduced scale.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1 and on a reduced scale.

In practising my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, I provide a cylindriform hollow body 5 formed with top, side and bottom walls 6, 'I and 8 respectively. The top and bottom walls are fashioned with centrally disposed spidered sections 9 and III respectively and with said sections having radially extending spokes II connected at their inner ends to hubs I2 fixed to a drive shaft I3 extending through the body. The openings dened by the spokes of the sections 9 and I0 constitute inlet and outlet means I4 and l5 respectively. The outlet means I5 is peripherally defined by a collar I6 having its upper end terminating an appreciable distance above the bottom wall 8 and fashioned with a mercury; I

.l'av pulley 2| for rotating said shaft circumferentiallyvand horizontally disposed trap wallV I'l. The lower end of the collar I6 extends subjacent the bottom wall 8|-and`is rotatably mounted withiny the upper end of .an inclined :jidischarge spout I 8, the latter being'v formed on one side with a bearing' I9 ,in which the lower section of the shaft I3( is rotatably mounted. The upper end section of the shaft I2 is rotatably mounted in a bearing andy hasxed thereto through the mediumv of adrive belt. 22 trained about said pulley,

The inside diameter of the side wallf'l isappreciably greater than the diameter of the wall 153|? to dene therebetween a circumferential flow passage for' mercury as hereinafter more V'fully described." The bottom Wall 8' coacts with the collar I 6, wall I'I and side wall l to denne a mercury trap23 surrounding the collar I6.

Disposed within thejbody 5 isa-,plurality of spaced and radially extending .verticallyf disposed agitating elements or Apaddles24, the latter having their inner ends fixed to a hub,;25 mounted on the shaft I3 fand rotatable withsaid Ishaft. 25T-*The outer ends of thepaddlesterminate an appreciable distance inwardly with respect tothe periphery of the wall I'Il and have fixed thereto verticallyextending runs 26 of air` or vent tubes. y

2l, the upper ends of the latter extending through 30 and fixed to the top wall 6. The lower faces of the paddles are disposed in spatialitywith respect to the upper face of the Wall I7 and have fixed thereto horizontal runs 28 of the tubes, the inner ends of said horizontal runs 28 being arcuate and terminating within the trap in flushed relation with the lower face of the wall Il and adjacent the collar I6 as clearly illustrated in Figure l.

The paddles are formedl between their upper and lower ends with horizontally disposed baffle means 29 for receiving thereon material, for instance, ore mixed with water, and which inaterial is discharged between the upper ends of the paddles and through the means 9 from a discharge conduit 3U mounted above the top wall 6.

In operation, it be g understood that a body of mercury r3I is disposed within the trap 23 as illustrated in Figure 1, the body 5, including the paddles, is rotated at relatively high speed and which causes the mercury to be disposed out of the trap and against the side wall l through the medium of centrifugal force. When the body is thus rotated, pulverized ore` and water is discharged into the body from the conduit and through the openings 9. The water and cenfeatures, of the invention from the trap and the precious metal removed therefrom in a desired manner. It will be understood thatr any gangue accumulating withiny the trap is removed therefrom during cleansing of the trap after removal of the mercury.

Without further elaboration the oregoingwill so fully explain the invention that others,v may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt'the same for use under various conditions of. service. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the be used conjointly since they. may be employed advantageously in` various. combinations. and; sub-combinations Itis obvious that theinventions not confined tothe herein describedusetherefor, .asit4 may be utilized for any purpose to which it isadaptable. It is therefore to bel understood that.the invene tion is notlimited, to the speciclconstructionas illustrated and,V described. as the. same is only illustrativeof the principles of operation, are capable of. extended. application in various forms, and that the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of thev appended claims..

What L claim is:

1. In-,anamalgamaton a; rotatable hollow cy,

lindriform body having top;. bottom and. side walls and with said topand` bottom Walls pro.- vided with inlet. and discharge means respectively, said. bottom. Wall-v provided. with a. trap surrounding said discharge meansr and adapted to contain mercury for wall upon rotation.

and havingupper endsterminating throughsaid.

which disposal about. said side of. said. body, aj plurality ofA radially extending paddles iixedwithinsaid. body and spaced from saidtrap` and said. sidewall re baille means. located between upperv top wall and lower ends terminating within said trap adjacent said discharge means whereby to vent said trap to permit free return of mercury therein from said side wall.

2. In an amalgamator, a cylindrical body, inlet and outlet means for said body and arranged axially thereof and in superimposed relation to each other, a vertical drive shaft secured to said means, means rotatably supporting said 'drive shaftand thereby. rotatablyA supporting said body, said outlet' means includingy a. collar extending inwardly and outwardly of said body and a flange integral with the collar within the body and spaced therefrom to provide a mercury pit, a baiile means in the body between said inlet and outlet. means and spaced from the body and the ii-'ange and secured to the shaft, and vent means mounted on. the body and connecting with the mercury. pit.

3. In an amalgamator, a cylindrical body including` upper and; lower walls,.spider constructions formed.: in the upperl and lower. walls providing an inletlin: thefupperwall and anoutlet in the. lower; Wall, a. rotatably. supported drive shaftv secured.L to the spider constructionsv and extending; axially. through the, body,. aA collar forming apart;l of. the: spider construction ofthe lower: Wall, a angeormedonsaid collar within the. body andspaced from. the walls, thereof, to

provide a mercury,A pit,.a1.baiile^means secured to theshaft .and spaced from.walls.of. the body and said: flangef,. and: vent meansl connecting withthe mercurypit.

4'. In` an amalgamator,A a cylindrical body includingfuppen lower walls, spider constructions.y formed in. the; upper: Iands. lower wallsrproviding an inlet in the upper walLand anoutletin the ldwer` wall,. a, rotatably; supported drive .shaft secured to thel spider;constructionsiand,` extend ving axiallyL throughlthetbody, aJcollar-'forming a partofthespider construction.- of thelower. wall, a flange formed on said collar. withinthey body and spaced from the wallsl thereof to provideaa mercury pit, azbaflle. means; secured .to the shaft :and spaced from` walls off the body. and. said flange;. and.V vent tubes*` extending through the upper: wall and the. -ange and Ysecured to the baille means.Y

RICHARD. W. LIER/IPI?.y 

